Talking Points: How good is UCLA?

Is Kevin Prince underrated or overrated? Can UCLA pass the ball? Does it need to? Are the Bruins now able to beat anyone on their schedule? Are they better than the Trojans?

We have the answers in Talking Points.

Adam Maya: Scott, I’m really disappointed. I thought for sure I’d make the UCLA depth chart this week. Guess I’ll have to settle for playing for Washington State.Scott Reid: Well, the week’s not over yet, and you might still be able to make it at QB. Or center.Maya: I can remember awful Pac-10 teams from the past two decades, but these things typically go in two-year cycles. This is Year 3 for the Cougars, and they’re nowhere near a Pac-10 team. I don’t get it.Reid: The biggest problem for Wazzu is that there are too many good programs around them — Oregon, Oregon State, Boise State, even Utah. And with Utah coming into the Pac-10 and Washington eventually improving under Steve Sarkisian, I don’t see things getting any better in the Palouse.Maya: That’s interesting, but let’s move on. I really have nothing more to say about Washington State in this chat. … Before the season, many thought the Bruins would be 2-2 after four games. But no one saw it playing out the way it has. What do you take from their start?Reid: That it’s still too early to say who exactly this team is. We still don’t know if they can pass if they have to. I suspect they can. And we still have to see if they can win on the road in the second-toughest conference in the country. Having said that, the Texas upset was huge, the biggest win in Rick Neuheisel’s three years back in Westwood and a game that forced people to rethink their opinions about UCLA (if they had any at all). I know I’ve changed my mind on them.Maya: The program took a major step forward this past weekend. A year ago, despite having talent comparable to what they have now, the Bruins would have never won at Texas. You just knew going in they wouldn’t beat the Cals, the Oregons, the USCs. Now, I wouldn’t be shocked if they beat any of them. Everyone on their schedule is fair game.Reid: Everyone except Oregon, but you’re right. They could, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, go 8-4. At the same time they’re an injury at quarterback or center away from disaster.Maya: At quarterback, yes. At center, I’m not so sure. That was a lot of people’s contention when Kai Maiava went down. His replacement, Ryan Taylor, was just selected the Pac-10’s offensive player of the week, the first lineman since 2003.Reid: That’s my point. Backup center Greg Capella has been a complete disaster. I don’t think I’ve seen Neuheisel as angry at a player this year as he was toward Capella during the week after Maiava’s injury. And even the couple snaps he had Saturday in Austin were an adventure.Reid: Maybe if something happens to Taylor, Josh Smith can play center. At least that way he’d be on the field.

Maya: As the season has progressed, Prince has become more and more polarizing. UCLA throttled Texas despite only five completions (and eight attempts) from Prince. Cade McNown had five touchdown passes against UT in “Rout 66.”Maya: This inefficiency can’t continue, can it?Reid: It won’t. Prince can throw the ball. He had 300-yard games last season. The passing numbers tell only a small part of the story. I actually think he might be the most underrated QB in the Pac-10. He has done a great job of running this offense, he has a presence in the huddle and at the line of scrimmage that gives his teammates confidence. In practice he has looked very sharp passing. The larger question with the passing game is, if UCLA does have to throw it against Cal or Oregon, will the receivers catch it?Reid: Tight end Cory Harkey has had brutal drops in three consecutive games. I’m not really sure why they continue to go back to him.Maya: You just gave me an idea: I’ll try to walk on as a tight end.Reid: You might have a shot. I’ve been told you can drop the ball just as well as the next guy.Maya: I know that Prince can throw. He’s proven that. But can he stay healthy? He hasn’t proven that. I’m not asking you to necessarily answer that. But I’m tired of monitoring his status each week.Reid: That’s a very valid point, and it’s the cloud always hanging over the program.Maya: If he’s limited or unable to go this weekend, the Bruins are losing a golden opportunity against the University Formerly Known as Washington State to work on their passing game.Reid: I agree. A little-known fact is that the “S” in WSU actually stands for style points, as in the other team’s style points.Maya: Hmm, you might want to stick to making fun of me.

Maya: But no apologies needed, although we both owe one to tailback Derrick Coleman. He’s reason No. 846 why I’m sitting behind a computer and not standing on the field.Reid: He had a great game. Probably the best he’s had since he’s been at UCLA. … I think the Wazzu game is basically a televised chance for UCLA to work on just that, and if Prince is out they’ve missed a prime chance to work out a number of kinks, not only with the receivers but also with the pass protection.Reid: One thing I feel pretty confident about is that you will see the young players getting a lot of snaps on the defensive line.Maya: The running game — how much of it is the Pistol and how much is the personnel? It’s not like UCLA’s offensive line became good over night. The starting five is largely made up of reserves from the past two seasons. You know, when UCLA finished no better than 94th in rushing.Reid: Well, Johnathan Franklin showed signs last year of doing what he’s done the past two weeks; he just couldn’t hold onto the ball last season. But the Pistol has a lot to do with it and, more specifically, so has Norm Chow taking this offense and making it his own and reworking it. One of the things I was looking most forward to was the Chow-Will Muschamp matchup last week. I covered Muschamp when he played at Georgia and I covered UGA for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. So I’m maybe slightly biased. But Chow kicked his rear all day long.

Maya: You can go a long way with good defense and ball-control offense (a la the New York Jets of ‘09). Is UCLA better than USC right now?Reid: I haven’t seen USC other than against Hawaii. Based on that I would say yes. but I don’t think that’s really enough to base anything on.Reid: I will say this UCLA has better running backs than Tailback U.Maya: Hope you’re prepared for the scorn of USC’s uber-sensitive fans for that one. I don’t agree in the slightest but I’m hardly offended. Last week I had the nerve to suggest UCLA’s and USC’s records might be flipped if their schedules were. But forget about hypotheticals. I’ve been watching both teams and, as of late September, 2010, the Bruins are playing better football than the Trojans. I don’t think that’s been true since October of 2001.Reid: You’re probably right. But then again if the Boy Wonder goes down the Trojans still have Mitch Mustain. If Prince goes down for good or an extended period the options are not nearly as promising.Maya: Finally, I won’t even bother asking for a prediction, but I would like to get your thoughts on the nickname “Texas 22-Step” for last week’s game. I’ve been shamelessly plugging it in everything I’ve written the past five days.Reid: Not bad. I liked the Austin American Statesman’s characterization of the UT season: “Bruined.” And I will go out on a limb and say the Bruins beat the Cougs.Maya: I might be rooting for the Cougars if I crack their depth chart. If not, “Texas 22-Step” is all I’ve got.

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